[3.5] Shield Bonus Without Shield

[Thurbane]

The tried and true method for getting a shield bonus for a wielder of a two-handed weapon is an Animated (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicArmor.htm#animated) shield (9,000+ gp).

Until you can afford such an item, what other options do you have for getting a shield bonus to AC?

Cheers - T

[Lupus Major]

You can use a buckler (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/armor.htm#buckler). You get a slight penalty to your attack modifier, but the ac win may be worth it, especially as it can be magic just like any other shield.

[ahenobarbi]

Shield wand in a wand chamber of your weapon?

[rafaruggi]

You can use a buckler (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/armor.htm#buckler). You get a slight penalty to your attack modifier, but the ac win may be worth it, especially as it can be magic just like any other shield.

But if you use a weapon with the buckler, you don't get the AC bonus for the rest of the round.

[Thurbane]

Can you wield a buckler and still get the AC bonus when attacking with a two handed weapon? I thought you needed an additional feat for that?

[RoyVG]

Can you wield a buckler and still get the AC bonus when attacking with a two handed weapon? I thought you needed an additional feat for that?

Improved Buckler Defence feat allows you to get the shield bonus while wielding a weapon in you off hand, but I don't know if a two -handed weapon counts for this as well. Shield And Pike Style feat allows it with a light shield, but only when wielding two handed polearms that deal piercing damage and have reach. It's in Dragon Magazin 338

Two Weapon Defence feat is a Shield bonus, but it requires Two Weapon Fighting

Let's see, the cheapest is a +1 animated shield for (total +3) 9000 gp. (gets more expensive as you increase the enhancement bonus)

4000 gp give you a continuous magic item of the Shield spell (+4 AC, also agains incorporal, negate Magic missile)

for 8000 GP you can have a continuous/at will item of the Shieldbearer spell (SpC 188). This spell is basically the same as an animated shield, but gets relatively cheaper compared to an animated shield with an equal enchancement bonus
+2 animated shield = 16k against a +2 shield + Shieldbearer = 12k 4k cheaper
+3 animated shield = 25k against a +3 shield + Shieldbearer = 17k 8k cheaper
+4 animated shield = 36k against a +4 shield + Shieldbearer = 22k 14k cheaper

[ahenobarbi]

How about +1 Morphing, Sizing Animated Shurinken? It would cost about 740 gp (5000 for sizing, 16'000 for +2 enchantments, *1/50 because ammunition). You can use shield as a weapon after all :smallwink:

[Coidzor]

Bit of a grey area, but... I think Dastana might have been a shield bonus, but require light, maybe medium, armor, so probably a no go regardless of whether I'm remembering that right and their legality at your table.

[Cybris75]

There is also the ring of force shield, which gives you a +2 shield bonus for a ring slot and 8500gp:

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/rings.htm#forceShield

Hm, would it actually be rules legal to upgrade the ring of force shield by giving it a higher shield bonus using the normal bonus cost table?

[Cybris75]

Bit of a grey area, but... I think Dastana might have been a shield bonus, but require light, maybe medium, armor, so probably a no go regardless of whether I'm remembering that right and their legality at your table.

Dastanas are just a bad bad idea to allow at a table. Its shield bonus stacks with other shield bonuses, which should never happen. Its rules are very poorly worded, and it's 3.0 to boot. Ditto for the similar armor you can wear above your normal armor (forgot the name, it's in OA I think)

[Talya]

Improved Buckler Defence feat allows you to get the shield bonus while wielding a weapon in you off hand, but I don't know if a two -handed weapon counts for this as well.

In theory you don't need Improved Buckler Defense when using a two-handed weapon. It's a free action to take one hand off the hilt of a two handed weapon, and you can still hold it, just not attack with it. You attack with both hands, then take your off hand off the weapon.

That's why the text about losing the bonus to AC only applies to an offhand weapon, not a two-hander.


Buckler
This small metal shield is worn strapped to your forearm. You can use a bow or crossbow without penalty while carrying it. You can also use your shield arm to wield a weapon (whether you are using an off-hand weapon or using your off hand to help wield a two-handed weapon), but you take a -1 penalty on attack rolls while doing so. This penalty stacks with those that may apply for fighting with your off hand and for fighting with two weapons. In any case, if you use a weapon in your off hand, you don’t get the buckler’s AC bonus for the rest of the round.

I don't think you technically use use a two-handed weapon in your off-hand, ever. Even the term "off hand" only applies when dual weilding. (See Flurry of Blows).

[Darrin]

I don't think you technically use use a two-handed weapon in your off-hand, ever. Even the term "off hand" only applies when dual weilding. (See Flurry of Blows).

There's another sentence in there that applies a penalty:



Buckler
This small metal shield is worn strapped to your forearm. You can use a bow or crossbow without penalty while carrying it. You can also use your shield arm to wield a weapon (whether you are using an off-hand weapon or using your off hand to help wield a two-handed weapon), but you take a -1 penalty on attack rolls while doing so. This penalty stacks with those that may apply for fighting with your off hand and for fighting with two weapons. In any case, if you use a weapon in your off hand, you don’t get the buckler’s AC bonus for the rest of the round.


So the text says you're using your shield arm even when wielding a two-handed weapon. And even if you have Improved Buckler Defense, that -1 attack penalty is almost impossible to get rid of. (There is one feat that gets rid of it, but it requires several other feats to do it.)

As far as "offhand" only refers to when you use the TWF rules... the designers weren't terribly consistent on this point.

[Talya]

There's another sentence in there that applies a penalty:



So the text says you're using your shield arm even when wielding a two-handed weapon. And even if you have Improved Buckler Defense, that -1 attack penalty is almost impossible to get rid of. (There is one feat that gets rid of it, but it requires several other feats to do it.)

Right, but there's nothing that implies those two sentences are directly connected. I believe that both off hand attacks and two handed attacks get the penalty to hit, but only off hand attacks suffer the armor class penalty.